Iraq team profile - FIFA World Cup 2026
In the build-up to FIFA World Cup 2026 in USA, Canada and Mexico, we shine a spotlight on Iraq.
FIFA World Ranking: 57
Confederation: AFC
Who is Iraq’s head coach for FIFA World Cup 2026?
Iraq’s head coach for FIFA World Cup 2026 is Graham Arnold. The former two-time head coach of Australia, the Sydney-native has been in charge of Iraq since May 2025.
Who is Iraq’s captain for FIFA World Cup 2026?
Iraq’s captain for FIFA World Cup 2026 is Jalal Hassan, who made his debut for the national team in 2011 and has since racked up 100 caps as the team’s goalkeeper.
How many times have Iraq participated in a FIFA World Cup before 2026?
1 – 1986
What is Iraq’s best performance at a FIFA World Cup?
Group Stage – Iraq have never made it past the group stage at the FIFA World Cup, having lost all three of their group games in 1986, their only previous FIFA World Cup appearance.
How did Iraq qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026?
Iraq qualified for FIFA World Cup 2026 after going through all five rounds of the AFC qualification stage to reach the inter-confederation play-offs as the AFC representative.
After entering the qualification stage in round two, Iraq played 20 matches in total en route to the inter-confederation play-offs, with the most important two games being a fifth round two-legged tie with United Arab Emirates to determine who would advance to those play-offs. Following a 1-1 draw in the first-leg, Iraq’s Amir Al-Ammari scored a dramatic penalty in the 17th minute of second half stoppage time to win the second-leg 2-1 in Basra.
As one of two seeded teams from the six qualifiers due to their higher placing in the FIFA World Rankings, Iraq advanced straight through to the Pathway 2 final where they would face the winner of Bolivia and Suriname.
Confirmation of Iraq’s FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification came on March 31, 2026 after a 2-1 win against Bolivia in their inter-confederation play-off final. They were the final Asian team to qualify for FIFA World Cup 2026.
Who are Iraq’s star players?
Striker Ali Al-Hamadi (Luton Town) became the first Iraqi footballer to play in the English Premier League back in 2024 whilst at Ipswich Town after having drawn attention for his goalscoring exploits for AFC Wimbledon in the EFL (English Football League). Al-Hamadi has already scored once for his country in 2026, netting their opening goal in one of the two inter-confederation play-off finals.
Aymen Hussein (Al-Karma) also scored in that final and accumulated eight goals for Iraq in total over the course of qualifying. Known for being a big target man at 6 ft 2 in, Hussein will be crucial for a team not expected to enjoy much possession over the course of their three group matches at FIFA World Cup 2026, so his hold-up play and ability in the air is important.
Whilst not one of Graham Arnold’s first-choice players, attention will still be drawn to Zidane Iqbal (Utrecht), a 23-year-old Man Utd academy graduate having been born in Manchester to an Iraqi mother. He made his debut for the Iraq national team as a 19-year-old back in 2022.
Who is in Iraq’s group at FIFA World Cup 2026?
Iraq are in Group I, which consists of the following teams:
France
Senegal
Iraq
Norway
Iraq’s Group I fixtures are as follows:
Iraq vs Norway: Tuesday June 16, 2026 – 6:00pm ET, 11:00pm UK
France vs Iraq: Monday June 22, 2026 – 5:00pm ET, 10:00pm UK
Senegal vs Iraq: Friday June 26, 2026 – 3:00pm ET, 8:00pm UK
All kick-off dates are based on a local kick-off time
Where is Iraq’s base camp at FIFA World Cup 2026?
The Greenbrier Sports Performance Centre – Greenbrier County, West Virginia
Expert prediction for Iraq’s chances at FIFA World Cup 2026
Whilst Iraq deserves huge credit for their long journey and resilience that has seen them reach FIFA World Cup 2026, only their second appearance on international football’s biggest stage, the reality is that their ceiling has more than likely been reached. They’ve been handed arguably the toughest three group stage opponents any nation could face across this tournament in France, Senegal and Norway.
Graham Arnold has his work cut out forming a plan that sees his team being able to adequately compete with three such difficult challenges. They lost all three of their group matches in 1986 and it would be shock if that wasn’t the case again at FIFA World Cup 2026. Iraq are simply outmatched in all departments and although the work ethic will be there, the gulf in class will be way too big.
What round will Iraq reach at FIFA World Cup 2026? Group Stage
